Henry g



(No Model.)

G. BAUMAN. ELECTRIC LEAK ALARM FOR PIPES.

Patented'MaJ'r. Z, 1886.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS;

NITED STATES HENRY G. BAUMAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JAMES T. MOMASTER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC LEAK-ALARM FOR PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,116, dated March 2. 1886.

Application tiled January 5, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY G. BAUMAN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Leak- Alarms for Pipes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved electric leakalarm. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the electric circuit-closer. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same. 1 Fig. 4 is a side sectional eleva- 5 tion of a modified form of the circuit-closer.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

The object of my invention isto provide a reliable and easily-applied apparatus for detecting leaks in joints of pipe, and,while itis especially designed for application to conduits for natural gas, it may be applied with equal advantage to oil and water pipes.

My invention consists in a jacket or chamberinclosing the joint of a pipe, and provided with a flexible metallic diaphragm and an insulated contact-screw supported near the diaphragm, but not in contact therewith, and

electrical conductors connected with the pipe" or jacket and with the insulating contactscrew, and leading to a distant point where the alarm is to be given. Thejoints A of the pipe B are surrounded by gas-tight jackets O,

which may be of any desired form or size. 1 preferably make the jackets O of cylindrical form, placing their heads a in metallic contact with the pipe B. I provide one such jacket for each joint in the pipe, and in the 0 upper side of each jacket I insert a short tube, D, communicating with the cell E. In the upper part of the cell E is secured a very thin metallic diaphragm, F, which is capable of being deflected by slight pressure in the cell.

To a bridge, G, secured to the sides of the cell E and extending over the top of the diaphragm F, a short distance therefrom, is secured an insulating-plate, H, through which 0 a contact-screw, I, passes. The contact-point Serial No.-1t':'1,696. (No model.)

of the screw I is near the diaphragm F, but not normally in contact therewith, and upon the screw 1. above the insulating-plate H, is placed a nut, b, which binds the wire conductors 062 down upon the insulating-plate H. The conductors 0 are connected to a common line-wire, J, which is connected with a button, e, of the switch K, located at the point where the alarm is to be given, and the conductors d are connected with separate contact points 6 of the switch K. The pivot of the switch-arm f is connected by a wire, 9, with an electric bell, L, and the bell communicates by the wire h with one pole of the battery M, the opposite pole of the battery being connected by the wire't' with the pipe B.

In the modification of the circuit closer shown in Fig. 4 I have replaced the diaphragm F by avalve,j, in the top of the pipe D. I have surrounded the valve with a casing, is, and provided a spring, Z, on the valve-spindle and between the casing and the valve, for holding the valve to its seat. The valve carries a contact-point, m, and the contact-point a projects through the casingk in position to be en gaged by the contact-point at when the valve j is raised by pressure from below. The contact-pointn communicates with the switch and with the line-wire through wires 0 d, as in the other case. When the pipe is in its normal condition and there is no escape from its joints, the diaphragm F remains flat and out -of contact with the point of the screw 1; but when a leak is formed in any of the joints of the pipe B the escape of gas or other fluid contained by the pipe into the jacket 0 createsa pressure therein and forces the diaphragm F upward into contact with the point of the screw I. This completes the electric circuit from the battery M through the'conductor t, pipe B, jacket 0, pipe D, diaphragm F, contact-screw I, nut 12, conductor a, linewire J, contact-point e of the switch K, the switch-arm f, conductor 9, electric bell L, and conductor h, thus giving the alarm at a point distant from the leaky joint.

To determine the location of the leaky joint of the pipe B the switch-arm f is removed from the point e and moved over the contact-point e. If on bringing the switch-arm f into contact with the first point e no alarm is given, it indicates that the contact-screw I, communicating by the wire d with that point, is not in contact with the diaphragm of the circuitcloser of the joint with which that point is connected; but if by the contact of the switcharm f with the point e the bell is made to ring, it indicates that the diaphragm of the circuit-closer and the joint connected with that point has been forced outward by pressure created in the jacket 0 by theleak, the diaphragm having by contact with the screw I completed the electric circuit at that point, so that when the circuit is completed in the switch the alarm is given and the leaky joint is located.

It is designed to provide an alarm-station for the pipe at suitable intervals-say, at every two blocks in a city-so that whenever an alarm is given the leak may be quickly located and remedied.

The electrical conductors employed in my improved alarm system will be buried with the pipes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric leak alarm for pipes, a

jacket surrounding the joint of a pipe and an electric circuit-closer arranged to be operated by pressure within the jacket, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with the pipe B, of jackets O, surrounding the joints of the pipe, a diaphragm-cell, E, and diaphragm F, connected with the jacket, an insulated contactscrew, I, placed near the diaphragm, but normally out of contact therewith, the battery M, alarm-bell L, and the electrical connections, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the pipe B, jacket 0, 

